Huntress
by Tenshi no Nozomi
Summary: Usagi has a past life where she lives as a bounty hunter and is hunted by the king's knights. She decides in her current life to go looking for these people. NOTE: This fic is on hiatus until further notice.
1. Prologue

Huntress.  
Okie, ppls. I've been thinking lately; what if Usagi had more than one past life? I mean, if a ditz can be a princess, then why not other things as well? Anyways, I hope that this turns out to be interesting for you. It will not be a crossover immediately; it could take some time. Anyways, here we go: I don't own any anime period, but this is MY idea- and mine alone. I'm not doing this for a profit, only for entertainment. Umm... let's see, something else... uhhh.... oh, yeah. This may be confusing at first, but it should become easier to understand in time.  
You steal it, and I'm going to come after you. PG-13 unless said so otherwise. Possible acidicness in the future? If I do decide to do that, then I assure you I will make a toned-down copy. Anyways, here we go!  
  
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Prologue: Dark Stranger of My Dreams... Are You Me?  
:: In a crowded bar in the south-end of the country of Yahope.::  
"Oi, did ya hear about it man? I heard some girl came an' beat up some poor fellow!" "You're kidding me." "Nope! Edgar saw it with his own two eyes-" "Bah, Edgar's a lying cheating scoundrel. Since when does Edgar know anythin'?" "Well... he swears it on his Great-granny's grave!" "Psshh, you really are a gullible one." "Silus is right, Daryl. Edgar is not only a liar- and a frequent one at that- but he's also the town's idiot and drunk!"  
"Oi, but it's true! Listen," said the one named Daryl said, drawing up a stool. "He said she was a foreigner, with Western looks." "What's the difference between those on the western country of Dajobe than here?" "Well, they're fairer skined than us. Peaches, Edgar calls em. Anyways, he said that girl was most definately a peach- with silvery golden locks and dark blue eyes."   
By now, the story-telling man had drawn a whole crowd of listeners. Even his own doubtful friends were listening intently and hanging onto every word he said. The bar had grown silent and wary, listening to his words as though it were some warning to beware of an odd stranger. Only two people in the room seemed un-interested; the bar-tender and the person at the booth acting nonchalant when he was in actuality listening with greater care than anyone else in the room.  
"Anyways, Edgar said that the peach lady had this big old guy on the run. She was just sort of walking at a slow pace, while he was runnin' all panicked and the sort. Edgar said he stopped in the middle of the road and charged the lady strait out, with a rather large sword.  
"But get this; just before he got her, the lady dissapeared! She just sort of faded out. And the guy, well, the guy was really in a frenzy. Started screamin at Edgar to help im. Course, the lady reappeared right behind him, and stabbed him with this dagger.  
"He said she searched him over, and then appeared right in front of him. Now, Edgar got real scared cuz he thought he was about to be done in, too, but instead the lady payed him for his silence. She gave him this really large stone, somethin precious and enough to save this entire forsaken town from bankrupcy! He saw the dagger, and he said the thing was encrusted with jewels of all rarities that shone like the brishtest of stars set onto gold, silver, and some material he didn't recognize. He said that the gold itself was white-gold, and fit for a king- no, more like an emperer!"  
By now the man had worked up a great zest for his story, and had begun to wave his hands around in excitement. That feeling was beginning to spread like a wold brush fire over a dried out area. There was excited whispers and shouts, mostly about saving the town from bankrupcy. And still the man went on, saying things about that the young woman had just walked away.  
While they were working on a revolution to get Edgar to be swayed inot handing over the jewel, the stranger got up and headed over to the storyteller. "Where does this friend of yours live?" "Edgar? On the outskirts of town in an old barn." And then he had gone back to the heated debate.  
But the stranger walked out of that bar, walking towards the outskirts of town, thinking of how he would at last catch her....   
When he arrived at Edgar's dwelling, he went strait for the house, and knocked on the door. It was answered by a potbellied old man who was balding. "Are you Edgar?" "Yes... who wants to know?" "I heard about your story from Daryl. In fact, the whole bar did." The man swore lividly, and said, "Dammit, I knew I couldn't trust Daryl! Lousy traitor..." He went on grumbling, obviosuly thinking that he would no doubt have to hide his fortune and deny the entire story.  
"Tell me, where did that lady go?" "Out towards the forest. But you'll never catch her, not that one. She's too sly to be caught. Too quick. And too deadly fierce. If I were you, I'd stear clear of that forest- and her. She's on scary lady." ".... She's nothing but a fifeteen year old girl. I'm not about to be afraid of her. Thank you for your help, and good luck to you."  
So the stranger headed away, towards the dark green and foreboding forest that gave off a menacing aura of hazardness that lay within. He knew she had cast that to keep away innocent strangers and children who didn't need to get mixed up in the things that happened around her. At last... I don't know what the king intends to do with you, but I hope that it's execution, you good for nothing outlaw.  
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Usagi whistled almost gaily as she walked through the forest counting some of the riches she'd made off of that last bandit she had killed. She had been fortunate this time to have only one witness and have to bribe his silence with one item- which left the rest to support herself.   
He hadn't been carrying alot on himself, but it was enough for a couple of months. Which was good, because money got tight around fall. When the bandits stopped coming, she had no one to hunt, and no outlaw such as herself would dare to go into a whole town of em. They were now bginning to whole up in bandit towns, so to speak, and would do so for most of winter and the colder months of spring. There would be very little business in between those time periods.  
Not that she was in this for the money. No, she was in it for revenge. To avenge the deaths of her family, of her innocence, and to declare her defiance to the world. She was a bit of a desperado, but not so much. She wasn't a law-abiding citizen, but she wasn't a bandit or pirate, either. She lay somewhere in between, with the others who hunted the true bad guys- although often we were hunted ourselves because of the fact that we were often times associated to them- which was the only thing that truely disgusted her; to be compared to a back-handed, yellow-bellied, no-decency murderer and rapist.  
But this was her life, the only way she knew how to live. And in some ways, there was nothing more she could ask for. She was constantly out in the outdoors in the elements, in nature, living and breathing in the incredible atmosphere that most had given up for cramped spaces in dull lives in vilages. She was free as the birds, like the wind, and that always gave her a giddy young sensation. It left a tingling in her soul... freedom. You didn't know what it was until you'd truely experienced it in the wilderness.  
Usagi could feel something though... the chi of another. The presence of another mind. She was no longer alone. She scowled, her moment of peace shattered. It was no child; no matter how curious he or she was, they wouldn't go into a forest where immenent danger lurked everywhere. She was that danger; a feeling that she had projected.  
Usagi gently faded herself into the background, waiting and watching for her hunter. It was some time before he came her way. She couldn't help but smirk; another knight. Some king had sent a knight after her- again. A pity... another knight to have to die. When will those damned pompous bastards learn I would rather only punish the *truely* wicked?  
She called out softly from the soft shadows that had enveloped her and made her one with the scenery as she stepped out into better view, "Looking for someone? Namely... me?" She bowed with in a cruel gesture of mock chivalry, while he spun around with a look of surprise on his face.  
"Usagi... the most hunted, expertieze, youngest, and most powerful outlaw of them all- the Bandit Huntress." She smirked and said, "The one and only. And you must be Heero, the one the kind of Dajobe sent after me?" He gave a simple nod, and Usagi's smirk grew bigger.  
  
Usagi awoke with a start, chest heaving for air and sweating profusely. She was pale, and shaking all over. That was the third time this week that she had dreamt up that strange girl... the one that was so oddly familiar to her, inside and out. "That does it," she called outloud to no one in particular in the silence of her room. "Tomorrow, I'm going to see a psychic or psychiatrist."  
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Ah ha! ^o^ *chuckles* Cliffie, cliffie!! If I don't get ten reviews, I don't continue. I'm serious, peoples. Hey, I even went ahead and made it longer than I was gonna!  



	2. Chapter 1

Huntress  
Email to: tenshi_no_nozomi@yahoo.com or  
tenshi_no_nozomi@hotmail.com  
PG-13  
Explicit material later???  
Thank you to all of the reviewers and my pre readers!!!!!  
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Chapter 1: What trouble am I in Now?  
Usagi drudged into math class the next morning, weary from not getting enough sleep and using the extra time to excersize her brain- an activity that made it hurt with such effort. But her homework was finished and ready to be turned in, she'd get some credit for at least the effort, she was on time, and she wasn't going to get detention today. So everything would be okay.  
As Ms. Haruna's lecture began and began to drone on, and in due time Usagi's mind and eyes wandered. She watched with sleepy eyes as several red robins chirped in a large tree. It was basically the idilic Spring day; the sun was shining and gloriously spreading a steady warmth onto the earth, the sky was a gorgeous blue that took a vivid imagination to conjure otherwise in pure richness, and had fluffy white clouds spread out here and there, looking whispy and casting shadows on the concrete. The flowers had begun to bloom into carpets of vivid and vadacious colors of pinks, reds, purples, blues and oranges, spreading out like a carpet on the emerald green grass.   
Everything was perfect... Usagi just wished she could be out there enjoying it instead of holed up inside. Her thoughts spinndled off slowly bit by bit, falling downwards to hazy incoherent fragments as her eyelids became heavy. She felt lethargic due to the lack of sleep and her wish to be out napping under the sakura tree that had blossomed into millions of little pink flowers all over it's branches... or maybe under the protected and inclosed shelter and in the cool shade of a willow.   
She bit back a yawn, and her thoughts directed them to her dreams and the disturbing context of them. That girl... so familiar. She looks alot like me...in fact, we even have the same name. But she's so much prettier than I am. And yet... and yet, when she goes through those experiences... it's like an odd sence of deja vu... and that guy. Mmmm... he was cute, ummmhmmm....... Usagi felt a small smile adorn her face and a blush gently cover her cheeks as she fell into a deep and much needed sleep.  
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Heero studied the girl, taking in the site so that he wouldn't forget it even in death. He doubted after a thorough scan that even if he had ever wanted to, that he would ever be able to.  
She was drop-dead-gorgeous with pale silvery golden hair that was so fine it seemed to have been spun of a celestial spider that spun golden threads of web for the Gods to make the most perfect creatures; it was thin and whiped around her healthily in an almost wild silver cloud that framed her in perfection. It made her look like some billowing celestial creature of the wind. Her eyes were a dark sparkling blue jewels of depths that he had never seen before and sparkeled animatedly as though the very stars had gone into them to decorate them.  
She had long legs and voluptuous curves up her entire body that a master artsman could only dream of sculpting and would give anything to see on an actual human being. Her skin was a beautiful pale creamy peach color that looked soft and almost delictable enough to eat, and had only a single flaw to sport: a long, curving scar that extended from the bridge of her nose all the way down her cheek to the bottom of her jawbone. Her lips were a beautiful soft strawberry or creamy pink rose color and looked slightly pouty even though they were currently set to a cold, darkly amused, and cruel smirk.  
She was dressed for comfort and most definately not for any fashion trend of the late among the ladies. She was dressed in soft leather boots that loosly clung around the bottom of her legs midway between her ankle and knee. She was also wearing a brown tunic that hung just above the knees that looked to be made of leather but he honestly couldn't quite tell, while she wore a cotton long sleeved shirt with a high collar.   
Despite her beauty, the was a deadly air to her. She was smiling at him in a malicious manner and her eyes were narrowed cruely, studying his every move- sizing him up, he realised with a jolt. She had a lax position, but it was clear that she was ready any moment for a strike. Her eyes were watchful, mindful, wary like an animal's that knew it was about to be chalenged.   
But deep in those sparkling orbs of uncomparible blue, he could see something... an emotion, a thought, maybe. As though she didn't want to fight unless there was no other choice. Still, despite this, there was a wickedly shaped dagger that she held in her hand, and he could tell she wasn't kidding around- from here on out, if he started this, then it wasn't going to be a game for children.  
"Well, what are you waiting for? Are you going to attack first or must I?" Heero was awakened by the steady flowing voice that was soft and tranquil but had an edge to it of.... some emotion, what it was didn't matter.   
He didn't answer, just continued to stare her down. So... you're the one who's responsible for my father's death, and my brother's as well. You made my mother go mad with grief, and I was orphaned. Now it is time I claim my vengeance, you wraith.   
She snorted in contempt and said, "I haven't got all winter! I still have several people I want to catch before I head back to where I belong and you're WASTING MY TIME. Hurry it up, boy!" Boy, was it? When he was several years older than her, and had become a knight, was experianced in many of the arts of fighting, she was calling him a boy???   
Heero smiled slightly and said, "Do you remember my father? Or my brother?"   
Recognition dawned in the deep vaste pools of clear and darkened waters, and she said, "Yes, I do believe so. You father was a knight as well, was he not? Yes, I remember him very well. You too look very similar, I was wondering why I thought I'd seen you before...  
"I fought him... how many years back? I don't recall exactly. But a good man; that he was. Didn't know him for very long, but I was very pleased. He stood for the perfect image of a knight: gallant, kind, forgiving, and one who always had his people on his mind and heart- not to mention a wonderful fighter. It was a shame, really... he was actually very good. I made sure to bury him proper, no need to worry about that."  
Heero nodded; that was his father all over. A kind considerate fellow who had a bleeding heart and often thought of other's before himself. He had a kind smile and a good disposition and was known famously for his skills. Heero was like the exact image of him, at least on the outside. But this girl was responsible for that man's death... the very man who Heero had looked up to all his life and now secretly missed. So she must pay. "And what of my brother?"  
"Your brother, on the other hand," Usagi said as she continued after a short pause, "was a common un-talented, barely trained lout with a bad attitude. He was nothing more than a common street punk that fought with his anger and his fists- Not something I thought of very highly. When he first came to me, he was dirty with a loud and vulgar mouth, and he was more or less a half-mad beast- almost the equivelant of a pirate or bandit.   
"I didn't honestly know that he was your father's son. I thought he was some gang member sent out to prove himself by daring me, so I killed him quickly in an effort to teach them not to mess with me. Only when he was dying did I realise the family resemblance- and even then, he had to actually call out your father's name." She paused a moment, reflecting on the event. An apoligetic smile took place of her smirk and a sympathizing look filled her eyes. "I buried him next to your father, if it's any comfort."  
It wasn't a comfort. As much as it was good to hear that his father and brother had been giving proper burials, they were still dead and meer sympathy wasn't going to bring them back. Heero nodded and spoke, "Then you know why I have to kill you."   
She looked surprised and said, " I don't want to have to kill you. Isn't it enough that your brother and father are gone? What would become of your mother, hmm?" "My mother went insane with despair and grief after their deaths- she committed suicide." She shook her head and said, "That was a stupid thing to do... a life is a very foolish thing to waste." "You're one to talk! You killed them both, you wasted their lives! It's your fault!"  
Her eyes became very narrowed and fury sprung up. She said in a deadly calm voice, "It's their own fault that it happened. I would have never hurt them if they hadn't gotten in my way- if they hadn't they'd still be alive now. I advise you to leave now- before you end up like them." "In your dreams- the only one here who's going to end up three feet under is going to be you."  
Now she laughed, obviously quite amused- and at least a little angry at his refusal to listen to her warnings. "If you want a fight little boy, come and get it!" He didn't nod, only drew his sword from it's sheith and let it seemingly glow in the bright light from the rays of sun that somehow got through the dense, dark foliage of the forest.  
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Usagi had been watching, had been waiting. She had warned him several times now, but despite examples from those before him, he refused to listen. So stubborn... the fool. He pulled out his sword, and Usagi knew instantly that she was short. The only real physical weapon that she had on her at the moment was her dagger- a foolish mistake that wasn't going to happen again, she was sure of that.  
But she still was concerned, not in the slightest. After all, she still had her wits, her many years of training as a fast learner, and some magic spells. So she would be just fine. He's so young... despite his want of vengeance, he really is only a baby. Maybe just a simple paraliysis spell would do the trick...   
Usagi was broken out of her reverie of ways to show him mercy when he charged her. She instantly tensed her muscles and jumped backward as he made a blow that caught air where she had been a moment before. Several mosre times he tried to slash at her with the sword, until he made a vertical one that she dodged by jumping backwards. Then, before he could recover, she charged him, but when he expected the blow, she jumped strait over him.   
He whirled around and struck out in an attempt to catch her and turn around at the same time, but instead of even bothering to make the effort of dodging the blow, she simply caught it in her hand. Usagi watched and giggled in a childish way as he just stared at her. After all, she had just done something that should have been impossible.   
He jerked his sword out of her grip, and stumbled backward. Once more he positioned himself, and felt a small growl of rage and humiliation escape his lips at the thought of this little girl mocking him. He shiethed his sword, and instead charged her. Only, when she ws expecting a strike from the left, he came with a knocking uppercut to her cheek.   
Usagi gasped as she felt the stinging blow land on her. She had let her gaurd down, and fallen for his trick. She felt sanity escape her, and a dark enimity surge forward from the recesses of her mind and possess her fully. I did not survive those years of hell to be humiliated by some boy who is more idealistic than he is realistic.   
"Raging beast of the underworld, hear my seething wrath at this being! Heed my call, and do my bidding as I summon thee!" In her hands grew a ball of dark shimmering energy, that became as big as a tropical fruit that Usagi had once seen. She watched in glorious pride as the power rush began to unfold and surge and gush like a flooding river. " Rupturing land QUAKE!"   
The ball shot down to the ground in front of her, and hit it with tremendous force. It trembled, and split wide open. Heero dodged it, as best he could, and did a good job of it.  
"Not bad, boy... you could be a bandit easily." "Why would I want to join the likes of scum such as you?" Usagi's eyes widened, and before she could respond, he hurled some spherical object at her. She gasped and watched as it sped strait at her and-  
  
"MS. TSUKINO!!!!!! WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Usagi's head shot strait up and she stared into the eyes of... a demon! "AHHH!!!! YOUMMAAA!!!!!" Usagi hit the demon beast upside the head with the closest object that she could find, which turned out to be her math book.  
"Wow, Ms. H was right! These things DO come in handy!" "Usagi, you hit the teacher!" "Wha- That can't be Ames, see..." Usagi looked down at her feet to see Ms. Haruna was there, unconcious. "...............Oops..... class dismissed?"  
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Cliffie, cliffie! ^__^ How'd you ppl like it? I need ten more reviews for this. Same goes for every chapter for now on. Or I don't go on. That means that people have to review. Just to ease it up a bit, since I have two previewers, I'll count theirs as well. So I need only eight from the rest of you- and I mean it!!!! 


	3. Chapter 2

Huntress  
Chapter Two: At the Temple  
Rating: PG-13 for language   
Explicit material later on??????????  
Author's Quick Blurb: I've been on a roll lately.. I haven't worked this hard in months, all in all. And I'm not done yet! Okay, I don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing, but this story is mine. Please don't be mad if I'm not the best with the fight scenes.  
  
  
Jap reference:  
Odangoe- dumpling  
Atama- head  
Gomen nasai- I am sorry  
Yogensha- oracle  
Chinmoku- silence  
Fuu- rainstorm  
Saru- monkey  
-chan- a suphix used at the end of a name to show affection   
Miko- priestess  
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Usagi walked to Rei's temple. She knew Rei was going to be mad, but she couldn't help it. It wasn't her fault that she'd gotten detention for hitting Ms. Haruna. Well, okay, it was, but she hadn't meant to. But what was done was done, and Usagi had been known to be late before, so it was nothing new.   
Usagi saw the temple come into view, and almost dreaded walking in. All the same, Usagi wanted and needed to talk to Rei. These dreams... they were just so intense! And Usagi was beginning to wonder if maybe there was more to it than them just being dreams.  
Usagi walked up the Hino shrine steps, and took a deep breath when she was greeted by the same scream as almost every time there was a scout meeting.  
"ODANGOE ATAMA!!! You're late again! What is WRONG with you," the violet eyed, raven haired priestess in training demanded.  
"Gomen nasai, Rei-chan. I have a good explanation this time, I swear, and I swear to you that after the scout meeting I'll tell you exactly what it is." Rei eyed Usagi suspiciously before nodding and letting her in.  
After a few minutes, everyone settled down, and business was under way. Usagi, however, was getting that same drowsy feeling as before, and before she knew it, fell asleep. Her last coherent thought was, Oh my God, when Rei finds out I fell sleep during the scout meeting, she's gonna kill me!  
  
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Usagi watched the spherical object fly towards her at an incredible speed. There was no time to dodge it or to teleport out of the way. She had nothing to hit at it besides her dagger and her hand, and if she was correct in assuming what that object was, then she didn't want to touch it and her dagger wouldn't be the correct weapon.  
However, if she were to use a sword... Usagi summoned her magic and the chanted out, " Light Blade... ARISE!" Usagi hardly let the familiar blade form in her hand before she attacked at the oncoming sphere with a swipe using the broad side of the blade.  
Usagi felt a deep pain in her arm as the blade and heavy ball connected and the metal shook and riveted. And yet, her aim was true, and the ball shot off to the right and hit a large tree at the base of the trunk. It rolled down the bark and sat in the emerald green grass at the base for a long moment.  
For the longest moment, nothing happened, and Usagi wondered if maybe that had just been a decoy or a mistake. Then, the ball split open into two perfect halves, and a thick, maroon fog sprung up. Usagi watched as it coiled along the trunk, upwards and around it. A single lark perched on one of the limbs looked down and saw the mist coming strait at it. It opened its wings to fly away, but it was too late. The maroon fog reached out its tendril like fingers and captured the bird. It instantly became almost completely still, except for the beating of its heart.  
Just as I thought.... Usagi looked at the bird and the tree, and then returned her attention to the knight.  
"Shame on you for trying to pull such a dirty trick. And now look at that poor bird... it will either die from starvation now or be killed by some predator in its helpless state."  
Heero growled at her and said, "If you hadn't hit the ball away, it wouldn't have happened!"  
Usagi smiled at him and said, "And let it hit me? Honestly, I would have thought you'd have wanted a REAL fight. I guess I was mistaking you."  
Usagi grinned at him, and then said in a commanding voice, "Light Blade, DISPERSE!" The blade in her hands shimmered with golden light, and then broke off into thousands of tiny light particles that flew off into every direction imaginable- even through her, leaving a tingling sensation.  
Usagi advanced on him. "You seem to be interested in hand-to-hand combat, and since I doubt you can use magic, let's begin this fight and end it here. I'm late as it is, and I intend to be in the next town by this evening." He nodded, and they were about to begin, when suddenly-  
  
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"Odangoe atama, WAKE UP!!! What is your problem, falling asleep during Scout business like this!?"  
"Hunnh," Usagi asked groggily as she was stirred from her sleep. She found that she was being shaken awake by a livid looking Rei, and a few people were staring at the two of them worriedly. "Whaah?"  
"Oh, so now you finally wake up! Sheesh, I was beginning to think that you were dreaming about sleeping! What a lazy baka you are! Doing this when we need you awake... You're supposed to be responsible, you're our leader," Rei raved in frustration. As she was going on, Makoto nudged her.  
"Hey, Usa, are you okay? This is your second time today. I mean, you've always been a sleepy head, but...," Makoto let her sentence hang unfinished, and Usagi could see the evident worry in her eyes.  
Usagi sighed and laid her head down on the cold hard table in the room. "I'm sorry, guys. I know it's not very responsible of me to do that when I'm supposed to be paying attention, but I haven't been able to get much sleep lately."  
Rei stopped her tirade then, and Usagi had the feeling that for the first time, they were listening to her completely. "It's these dreams I've been having," Usagi explained with a sigh. "They come to me night after night, and I see myself as this strange girl. In the dreams, I'm almost always fighting somebody. I'm some kind of bounty hunter or something, I think, and... well... they're so vivid, I'm beginning to think that they're not just simply dreams anymore."  
Silence filled the room and Usagi could feel everyone's eyes studying her. It was finally Rei who broke into the quiet.  
"Usagi, are you trying to say that you think that you were some rough-and-tumble outlaw? That's unbelievable."  
"Hai. I know," Usagi replied quietly. "But it's too real to be just a dream. I've never seen any of these people before in my life." Usagi paused before continuing. "I can't think of any other logical explanation. I know I've never met the people that I see in my dreams, or heard of those countries. They just are. So... so I think that maybe this is my third life."  
Usagi raised her eyes to meet Rei's, and Rei felt a jolt of shock run through her. She'd never seen her best friend's eyes so serious and solemn. And, in that moment, Rei could see something there... something that made Usagi different than the other scouts, not more powerful, but... different. That was all she could figure.  
"You're really serious about this, aren't you," she asked, kneeling down in front of her best friend. Despite all of their differences, and Rei's constant berating, they truly were the best of friends.  
"Hai, I am. More so about this than anything else."  
Rei nodded resolutely, having come to her decision. "Alright. I'm going to need all of you to come into the room of the Great Fire. Usagi, we're going to see if putting you into a trance will work, since you can't talk while you're asleep."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
thirty minutes later...  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Usagi glanced around nervously at everybody. They were all watching her.   
"Usagi, listen to me! This is really important if you want to get to the bottom of this," Rei said impatiently. Usagi returned her attention to Rei and then Rei resumed talking. "Listen. When I tell you, you're going to need to stare at the Great Fire. And I don't mean gawk at it, I mean concentrate on it. Empty your head of anything but the flames or it won't work."  
Usagi nodded, and then Rei chanted a prayer that Usagi couldn't quite focus on. Before Usagi found herself to be ready, Rei had finished her prayer, and was giving Usagi her signal.  
Usagi took a deep breath, and then began to focus on the flames before her, making sure that her mind didn't wander. Slowly but surely, the more she studied the flames and watched it, the more random thoughts emptied out of her head. She found herself finding a pattern in the way the flames danced, and her breathing became slower and in an odd rhythm. Her consciousness slipped away as her eyes clouded over, and she slipped into a semi dreaming state.  
  
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Usagi prepared to truly begin their battle when the jewel on her glove flashed. Usagi stopped, and looked at it. It was flashing an icy blue, which meant that she had about an hour to hall her ass back to "Outlaw City," as it was so famously dubbed.  
Usagi swore. "Gods damn them, what are they thinking closing the gates so earlier in the year!?"  
"What do you mean, closing the gates," demanded Heero, who's eyes were narrowed with suspicion.  
Usagi sighed and dropped her fighting stance. "The gates to "Outlaw City," as some of you outsiders have so dubbed it. They close the gates every winter, and we seal ourselves in physically and magically. We don't reopen it until Spring, and anyone that's left outside stays outside."  
Heero's eyes narrowed further. "We have a match," he growled.  
"Hai, we do. But I'm not going to stay out of that city this year with you people riding practically up my ass, so it'll just have to wait until Spring."  
Heero looked furious, and he swore at her. "You're afraid, aren't you," he demanded, a cold fury burning brightly.  
"Excuse you?"  
"You heard me. You're scared that you're going to lose to me. And you're using the city as an excuse! In fact, I think that you're afraid of all of us, and that's why you ran out of Dajobe."  
Usagi snorted in disbelief and amusement. "You really don't get it, do you? You and your little friends have been attacking at me directly for over a year now! It's not just random luck, like it was with your father, or matters of satisfying the thirst of revenge as it was with your brother- you're trying to wipe me out! Like some kind of bug in your crops! It's disgusting, and it's all because your king has something to hide!"  
Usagi sneered and advanced on him. Heero suddenly had the feeling that she was a lot more dangerous when angered than he could have ever possibly imagined. Her eyes were flashing and her face was pale. Her fists were balled with fury that she took no measures to hide.  
"Your king is trying to kill me. And you don't even know why! None of you damned knights know because you're too stupid and too scared to question his authority! You're just little puppets to him, pawns in his chest game! He doesn't care how many of you die in the pursuit to kill me just so long as the job gets done! No bandit ever picks a fight with noble men; we'd rather you just left us the hell alone already! All we want is to serve the justice we feel fit that you people are too cowardly or don't care to fix!"  
Usagi stopped now. She calmed down before his eyes, and he felt himself relax as well.   
"One piece of parting advice to you, Heero: Think for yourself. You have the right idea trying to help the people of your country, but you may be hurting it more than helping it. See you in Spring," Usagi said with a small wave.  
Usagi flipped backward a few feet away, and then announced in a loud, commanding voice,  
"Winds of time beyond all speed,  
Bring me to where I should need.  
Across the distances of this longing,  
Bring me to where my heart finds belonging!"  
Usagi cupped her hands in front of her, and a green power began to form in her palms. Heero stared in awe as the color washed over everything in the area, letting out a spring green light. He gasped as it split apart into thin ropes that wound itself around Usagi's hands and wrists and coiled to her arms. They then further split to wind down her legs and upwards across and around her chest, neck, and head.   
Too late, Heero finally remembered that Usagi was trying to get away. He charged her, sword upraised for a final blow, but the spell completed the moment before her charged through her, and she disappeared unmarred. For a moment, Heero stood in silence, wondering what he was going to tell the king.  
Heero walked out of the forest, cursing his luck. He saw a large crowd gathered in front of Edgar's shack as he passed by, practically breaking down the door by their shouts alone. He considered going to help the man for a moment, and then decided against it. Death was often the price the greedy paid. It was no matter of his.  
Heero walked down the old dusty dirt road to the outskirts of town. From there, he mounted his horse, and headed back the way they had come- out of Yahope and back to Dajobe empty handed.  
  
**********************  
  
Rei had heard Usagi utter out the whole story to them in third person so far in an impassive voice that didn't sound like her own. It was really creepy, and now she was trying to wake her up- only, she was finding that she couldn't.  
"Mako-chan, get me a bucket of water," she called up as she shook Usagi. Usagi didn't respond to Rei's calls and teases or shaking, and instead went on talking, telling the story. Makoto headed back with a bucket of cold water, and Rei splashed it over Usagi. Still she didn't come out of her trance, and kept rambling on.  
"Get me another one," Rei said.   
"But we just tried it, and she didn't respond-"  
"I'm not going to use it on her, I'm going to try putting out the fire and seeing if she'll snap out of it!"  
Makoto rushed off, and came back quickly with the water. Rei doused the fire, but still Usagi didn't come out of it.  
"I guess we just have to wait it out," Ami said, who was personally intrigued by Usagi's state and her even more so by her story.  
  
***********************  
  
Usagi reappeared at the gates to the little 'town.' She knew the place well, it was like a home to her. She passed through the gates, unquestioned and untroubled. Once inside, Usagi saw several familiar faces.  
"Oi! Usagi-san," cried out the violet haired and maroon eyed girl that Usagi knew as one of her best friends. She was greeted with a hug which she returned.  
"Hey there, Yogensha. What's my fortune?"  
Yogensha frowned and sniffled. "That's always what you first ask me. Not 'How have you been; I haven't seen you in a year' or 'What's new with you?'  
Usagi snorted. "You make it sound like I'm married to you. Now, Yoge-chan, do you have a fortune for me or not?"  
Yogensha rolled her eyes and backed a couple paces away from Usagi. She stared at her for a long time, but nothing happened. "Sorry, I'm not getting anything."  
"It's okay, you can't control your divinations. Now, how have you been all this time? Did you make a good profit?"  
And so they caught up on the year that they had been away from each other. Usagi was about to head to the bar, when Yogensha called out to her. "Hey, Usa. Remember those ten recruits you trained last year? Three of em are back. They survived."  
Usagi raised an eyebrow. That was an unusual thing to happen. Most times you had one, maybe two come back the first year. The second was normally seriously injured when he or she would come back, and the next year they normally didn't make it back. If they could make it past the third year, they were considered a baby in the clan. But for three to make it back... they must have listened to her advice well.  
Usagi entered the bar, and was greeted by the laughter and shots, smoke and smell of alcohol that she was accustomed to. Usagi grinned when she saw the old bar keeper, Malcolm, cleaning the glasses. She remembered the first time that she'd ever come into this bar, two years after she'd actually begun her training as a bandit hunter.  
  
::Flashback::  
A young nine year old girl walked into an over-crowded bar filled with laughing, screaming, fighting people. She ignored anyone who gave her any odd looks, or laughed at her. She was a stone; unbreakable and uncaring. Nobody could get to her.  
She walked up to the bar and hoped onto the stool. The bar tender blinked at her and smiled kindly. "I'm sorry, young lady, but we don't serve water or milk here, and we don't give alcohol to minors."  
Usagi growled and pulled out a wicked looking dagger. "Get me some beer for your sake, if not mine. I'm in a lot of pain from these two broken ribs of mine, and I'd rather be out of it when they set 'em."  
"I'm sorry miss, but-"  
Usagi interrupted his sentence by leaning over the counter and grabbing him by the front of his shirt. "I was first introduced to beer and scotch when I was six, mister. I was working with the thieves in the city then, and I still could be, if it was what I wished. I'm not in the mood to play games, and since you seem nice, I'll tell you again: Give me the beer." (Okay. People are probably thinking, "tnn, this is under aged drinking. She's only nine, for gosh sake!" But technically, I don't think that they had drinking ages in the Medieval times and stuff like that, which is basically the time frame that it's set in. Besides, she has two broken ribs and they don't have any anesthetic.)]  
The man handed Usagi her beer, and Usagi paid him his money, and they never had an argument about her drinking again.  
:: End Flashback::  
  
Usagi smiled at the memory. She had been in a lot of pain then, and that was the only reason that she had gone for the alcohol, not to mention that the doctor in town himself had suggested that she do so. Other than that, she hadn't like alcohol too much. But after she had turned thirteen, it had become tradition to drink a mug of beer when she came into town.  
Usagi sat down on a stool, and said, "Hey Malcolm. Get me a beer, will ya?"  
Malcolm smiled at her kindly, and poured it for her. Usagi drank a sip of it and smiled. She paid him up front with two silver pieces and one bronze in Dajobe currency. Even though this would be extremely expensive anywhere else, it wasn't expensive for a bandit hunter who made their living off of killing other people who normally had riches on them. Besides, it was how Malcolm made his living, and in the summer months, business was slow.  
Usagi began to think about her past and how this had all come to be as she continued to drink her beer. One of her earliest memories- but still the most painful- sprang up and began to play for her to see, hear, feel, and smell again.  
  
::Flashback::  
Charred bodies.... that was what the air smelled like. There was fighting all around, everywhere. Bad men were here, and there were too many of them. The village was being burned to the ground, and Usagi could hear the screams of battle and pain all around her echoing in her ears.  
Her mother had screamed at her to run into the forest and take the baby with her... so she was running. Running to try and get away. Because she didn't want to see anymore of what was happening to her home.   
Usagi was stopped by a man clad in black armor who looked her up and down. He picked her up against her will, and Usagi shrieked at him to let her go while thrashing about. Usagi managed to bite him, and he cried out in pain. He released her from his grip, and Usagi fell to the ground with a painful thud.  
Usagi got to her feet and the stranger pulled out a rapier from its sheath, and pointed the tip at her. Usagi shook in fright, and he told her, "Here's something to remember me by," before he cut her face from the bridge of her nose to her chin, racing down her right cheek. Usagi screamed shrilly in pain, and her mother instantly ran to her side.  
"Please, let my daughter go. Please." The man laughed cruelly and said, "Fine. Her life in exchange for yours." With that, he shoved his sword strait through her mother's heart, killing her instantly. He pulled his sword out and threw it to the ground.   
"Now I've soiled my best sword... oh well, not that it matters. It's only a sword." His black stallion reared, and Usagi watched him race off. Usagi sat down next to her mother's still body in the muddy ground mixed with the blood of her mother and others. She kissed her mother's cheek and made a solemn vow to end the lives of men like the man in black and to avenge her death.   
Usagi had then done the only thing that she could do- she ran off into the forest with her baby sister to wait for the men to leave before she came back.  
::End Flashback::  
  
Usagi remembered what happened next. She had spent a week in that forest, surviving off of berries and nuts and muddy rain water. Her sister had died the second day she was there from a fever that had plagued her for several weeks before. Still, Usagi couldn't bear to part with her last bit of family. Thus, she'd held onto the baby.  
When a group of travelers- a priestess, mage, and swordsman- had arrived to see if the rumors of the town were true, all they had found left were the remains of the town in ashes and a five year old girl who was half starved and clinging to her dead baby sister. They had instantly buried the little baby and checked to see if Usagi had developed any illnesses. She hadn't, which was lucky. But then again, she'd always been the healthiest child in the village.  
The group of travelers had taken her in for a year as their own, teaching her several useful things. They had discovered something in the young child- she thirsted knowledge, and craved to learn anything that they could teach her. So she had learned a few simple ways to defend herself with physical attacks and how to hunt from the swordsman, the priestess had taught her some useful simple spells, and the mage had taught her about the plants and animals.  
When Usagi was seven, they were in a major city and a riot broke out, in which they were killed. Usagi had grieved for her friends, companion, and family. She had then learned to adjust to city life in a month's time, never forgetting the magic and knowledge bestowed upon her by her friends.   
After two months in the city, Usagi was brought in by the thieves of that city, and became one of the youngest members. They taught her more than Usagi could have hoped to learn. They taught her more spells, how to cook, and how to fight like they did in the city. She was given her first real weapon three months later.   
On the sixth month, Usagi had the misfortune- or fortune, looking back on it now- to try and rob the great huntress Chinmoku. She had seen her potential and thirst for knowledge, and had brought her out of the city and into the wilderness to learn more than she could have ever wondered. Her skills in hand-fighting were sharpened, she was forced to hunt for her own food two nights a week and constantly be learning more methods to do it by. She was taught about medicines, poisons, more sorcery, and how to use a staff and glaive.  
Usagi's deep thoughts on her past were interrupted out of nowhere.  
"Hey, snap out of it," cried a girl with long blue hair to her waist that was tied into a braid and darker blue eyes.   
Usagi turned around, and laughed. "Ahh, Fuu! It's good to see you," she cried, getting up to hug her best friend.  
"Hey, what about me," asked the emerald green haired girl with misty gray eyes with just a hint of blue.  
Usagi smiled and hugged her other friend. "I would never forget about you, Saru-chan," Usagi said impishly.  
"Grrrr! When are you going to learn that my name is Miko, not Saru!? Why are you always calling me that, anyway?"  
"Cuz you remind me of a monkey," Usagi said teasingly as she tweaked Miko's nose.  
"Arrgh! You're insufferable," she cried.  
Usagi laughed, and smiled. There was a time when I thought that I'd never be able to smile again. But here I am, smiling AND laughing. Usagi looked around the bar and thought to herself, Everyone of us in here has our own sad story to tell. And yet, we're able to go on. Because we're all like one big family; if ever one of us needs the other, we'll be there for them.  
"Hey, C'mon, let's go race horses. I wanna see who's got the fastest horse this year," Usagi called, racing out of the bar.  
  
***********************  
  
*~*~*~*~*~  
::two weeks later  
Khirmone, Dajobe's capitol::  
*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
"So... you're telling me that you lost her," the king asked Heero, who was kneeling down in his royal throne room in front of him.   
"Hai. I'm sorry. Next time I will not lose her."  
The king nodded, and took a peach off of the tray that the servant standing beside him offered. "It is all right, m'boy. I'm sure that the reason you didn't get her was because she ran away in fright."  
Heero remained kneeling and said nothing dead with his head down. He didn't want to look at the kindly, old king, or Quatre the prince, or Ririna the princess. It was fairly common knowledge that Heero would probably end up marrying Ririna despite the fact that he didn't love her what-so-ever. She doted after him, and whatever the spoiled princess desired, she got.  
"I'm sorry. I'm afraid that because I lost her we will be unable to get her until Spring. She used a spell to warp her to the Outlaw City, and since the gates have been closed for some time now, there'll be no way to get her even if I could find it."  
The king grinned and stood up. "That is where you are wrong. We know where the Outlaw City is, and we know how to get you in."  
Heero's head snapped up, and he could feel a faint ray of hope shining in his heart- maybe he wouldn't have to wait until Spring to get her after all.  
"Of course it will be risky... but not impossible. And knowing you, you will probably anticipate the challenge."  
"Please... where is it? Tell me how I-"  
The king chuckled. "Sir Heero, I do not know how to get in. Actually, we have a man who was a prisoner there and escaped from there in our dungeon. Tomorrow, we will see into getting him to take you to the Outlaw City."  
Heero nodded, and took that as his dismissal. As he walked out of the throne room and down the corridor to his own personal quarters, all he thought was, Soon I will have your blood on my sword, Usagi. And then I will have slain one of the greatest bandit hunters of all time.  
  
**************************  
  
  
Usagi finally came back to the land of the living. She felt wet and cold. What was going on... oh yes. They'd put her into the trance... seemingly it had worked. Usagi turned around to see everyone in the room staring at her in awe and amazement. Usagi was about to ask them if she'd sprouted another head, when she gasped as a rush of memories from a previous life that she was just discovering rushed at her and hit her full force and she passed out.  
As Rei dragged Usagi into her bedroom and went to make the phone call to the Tsukino household, all she could think was that either that was the strangest and most vivid dream that there had ever been, or Usagi had really lived that past life, and she was just now remembering it.  
  
*************************************************************************************************  
  
Ack! I'm sooooo tired. It's only one thirty in the morning, but I had to really push myself to finish that. Well, what did you people think? Good, bad? Please review, it lets me know that you people are really interested in this and gives me some feed back on whether you like it or not. Ten reviews this time, cuz I didn't have anyone pre read it.  
  



	4. Chapter 3

Huntress  
  
By: tenshi no nozomi  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Hooray for me! As some of you may know, I had a horrible writer's block, and then a bad drop-out. Now it's December, and I'm starting to try to write some. I know it's been a very long time, so I owe you guys a very long chapter, but I think I'm going to have to try for a shorter one this time to try and get back into the hang of writing this story again. Please be patient with me, I'm trying.  
  
I'm honored that all of you people like this story so much, and I promise to try to work on it harder. Thank you all so much to all of the people who have reviewed this story; I've never had people take to a story of mine so well, and it makes me feel good. ^^  
  
I'd also like to thank my pre-reader, Rave! ^^ It's always nice to have somebody to go over my work and tell me what they think of it.  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing, but this story IS mine, and so are the original characters in it. Since a fair number of people seem to like it, I'm going to be a bit more defensive over it- do not steal, or I will see to it that you regret it. That is your warning. ^_^  
  
Let's begin now!  
  
Jap Ref  
  
Bai bai- good bye  
  
Demo- but  
  
Hai- yes  
  
Iie- no  
  
Ima- now  
  
Soretomo- or, used to represent choices  
  
Kesshite- never  
  
Mori- forest  
  
No- of  
  
Megami- goddess  
  
Ki'ichigo- blackberry  
  
San- suppix added to the name of a person to show respect  
  
*************  
  
Chapter 3:  
  
:: Usagi's dream.::  
  
Three days later the plans had been arranged for Heero's departure. He would be lead by the escaped prisoner to Outlaw City. Heero would go, capture Usagi, and take her back to the kingdom. Heero didn't know why it was so important that they get that one particular huntress- even if did fit in with his want of vengeance- and he dare not question his orders, but he still couldn't help but wonder.  
  
So, the fourth day after his return, he prepared to leave again. Relena seemed close to hysterics on his departure, and begged him to return safely to her. What he wanted to say was that he'd rather impale himself on the sword of a demon than return to the likes of her. Instead chose to just nod and remain silent- there would be no good in insulting her, even if she DID actually understand that it was meant as an insult.  
  
So off he went into the Mori no Megami, following the lead of the cowering and fearful ex-slave. Heero wondered what frightened the man the most; the fact that this forest was legendary for the many times the Mother(1) had been supposable been sighted, or of the danger that the outlaws could present. After all, everyone knew that a slave who left the services of the outlaws would be killed if he/ she was found or dared to return.  
  
A week of traveling on horses with supplies running lower by the day passed by, and finally they reached the destination. Heero was surprised and suspicious, there was no clearing with tents, no buildings built, nothing. but an ancient tree standing by itself in a very small clearing.  
  
He felt fury seep through ever part of his body; had this fool brought him all this way, and was now hoping to abandon him and turn on him? Heero prepared to draw his sword and threaten the man, but the man was clearing away a pile of leaves. and a grate was revealed. The man slid away the grate, and then jumped in after beckoning for Heero to follow.  
  
Heero hesitated; the horses would be fair game out here, and they could not want to go into the hole. Heero thought it over a moment, and then came up with an idea.  
  
"Does this tunnel lead directly to the city?" he asked the man, helping him out of the hole.  
  
"Strait to it."  
  
"So I wouldn't have any trouble finding the exit into Outlaw City?"  
  
"So long as ye're not blind," he joked nervously.  
  
"You stay here with the horses, and don't you dare leave or I swear I will come and find you, and then you will have me to fend yourself from as well." The other man nodded fearfully and gratefully, and Heero leaped into the pit, and made his way through the long tunnel, running all the way to the entrance into Outlaw City.  
  
****  
  
Usagi had had an odd feeling all day, plaguing her stomach. It was that annoying, nagging feeling when you knew something bad was going to happen. She tried to brush it away, but it returned each time. Usagi had learned long ago to trust her instincts, however, this was her home. there was no one here who would wish her harm, only her adopted family. Still, she became a bit jumpy and almost paranoid as the day progressed, gripping her dagger whenever startled.  
  
*****  
  
Heero had entered the city, and clung to the shadows. It was towards evening now, and the sun hung low in the sky, a scarlet red eye in the horizon casting plum and orange all around.  
  
He was amazed; the City of Outlaws was amazing. There were countless complicated spells of hiding and secrecy added over centuries, adding up to a colossal hum in the air that made his nose itch and eyes water do to the power of the spells. It was a miniature town, with anything they could want- so far he had slipped by a pharmacy, a saloon, a corral, and a general store. He was amazed at how they had managed to hide all of this, and in the middle of a well-traversed forest. He had to hand it to them, the outlaws were very clever.  
  
And yet, every fortress has it's weak spots. he proclaimed smugly in his mind. However, he had managed to run into a problem: he didn't know where Usagi lived! There were a fair number of houses around here, and if he made the wrong choice it would be bad news.  
  
And yet, lady luck seemed to favor him at the moment- there she was, walking alone into what he assumed to be her home. He waited a few minutes until he was sure she wouldn't be coming back out, and the darted out across the dusty street.  
  
He knew he couldn't go in through the front door, of course, so he'd have to try one of the windows. He cast an amateur spell meant to make things disappear, and was pleased when the glass did exactly as he wanted. He climbed in, and looked around. He could hear the sound of water being filled, sloshing in by wooden buckets. A maid came down a moment later, filling her wooden bucket again with hot water that had heated over a small contained fire.  
  
Heero slowly came out of the shadows, and unsheathed his sword. He really didn't like doing things like this to innocent people, and especially not women, but he had no choice. Silently as a cat he came up from behind her, and rapped her hard on temple. The young lady stiffened, and then slumped to the floor, the bucket of water falling on its side and its contents spraying across the floor.  
  
He ran up the stairs, and grabbed the specially spelled cloth Ki'ichigo-san had given him to sedate his quarry.  
  
****  
  
Usagi was beginning to undress for her bath when she had heard the slosh of the bucket down in the kitchen. It made her frown; she had thought she had helped to cure the girl of her clumsiness some time ago, and yet it had happened all the same. She shook her head, and slid off her socks and untied her hair. She placed her weapons on her bed, not needing them.  
  
Usagi began to enter the bathroom when she saw in the mirror not her maid who had hastened up the steps but. but that blasted knight! Usagi's eyes widened, and she turned around to grab her weapons, but he had already attacked her. U  
  
I don't understand it. I've never been this weak around anyone before! I'm like some kind of kitten! Her temper flared again, and Usagi's eyes became a blue fire. As soon as this was over, she was going to train harder than she had ever trained before- no mere pup would be her downfall.  
  
And yet, even as she thought this, he was pressing a cloth over her mouth and nose. Usagi fought his grip, but already she had lost a good deal of her energy. The cloth was an old trick, one that Usagi had dealt with before, and she had though that she had risen above. It must have been made with potent ingredients and a powerful mage, or it wouldn't have worked, and she'd have half killed the boy by now.  
  
Still Usagi tried to fight it, despite that her strength was still leaving her, being sapped away rapidly. Usagi soon found herself drowsy and unable to fend for herself even the slightest. D. Damn you! She cursed him as she began to sink into unconsciousness. Just you wait. I will make you regret what you've done to me.  
  
She sagged like a rag doll in his grip, unable to fight off the spell anymore. Heero lifted her and slung her over his shoulder, and ran out of the house, back down the street, and away to the exit in the twilight, feeling pleased at his triumph.  
  
When he came out at the other end, the man waiting for him- whose name he had never bothered to learn- was so grateful to him, he nearly cried. Heero sat Usagi in front of him on his horse, and then he and the other man set out at a grueling pace to get back to the palace.  
  
*********  
  
Usagi's dreams became fitful after that. The memories became entangled, a jumbled mess that she could make no sense of. She finally woke up sweating in a dark room that she recognized as a guestroom at the Hikawa temple. She rubbed her eyes of any remnants of sleep, and looked around her. There was a funny feeling making the hairs on the back of her neck rise, almost like something was about to happen.something very important.  
  
Usagi could hear muffled voices coming from the room, and a feeling of great urgency settled upon her. She NEEDED to hear what was being said. She climbed out of bed and crawled over to the wall of the room and pressed her ear against it, listening in to the conspiring voices drifting in.  
  
******  
  
  
  
"Yes, Usagi's going to be staying at Rei's place tonight with the rest of us... Yes, don't worry, she's just kinda taking a nap at the moment... no, no need to send anything over. She'll be just fine. Yes. You too. Bai bai." Ami hung up the phone before going back to the room where all of the conscious sailor scouts were.  
  
"I really don't think it was wise to lie to Mrs. Tsukino... besides, we can only keep this up for one night, (2) and then things will go back to chaos." Ami said with a frown.  
  
Rei sighed. "I know, but we have to do something. At the rate Usagi's going at, she won't be able to go to sleep without having some whacko dream about a past life. There's a problem with all of this."  
  
Luna frowned and nodded, and Artemis was too deep in thought to make any sort of comment. Makoto frowned. "Care to share with the rest of us what's so wrong about all of this? Who knows, maybe Usagi will pick up a few more moves and be able to defend herself better."  
  
"That's one of the problems," Rei said. "If Usagi no longer needs us, we will return to being regular girls- our powers were given to protect the heir to the White Moon throne."  
  
Minako frowned angrily. "So what're you saying, that we should try to stop her dreams so that she doesn't learn anything? I think that's wrong! Usagi has as much right as anyone else to be strong."  
  
Rei sighed. "I know, and in any other case I would agree with you, but not this time. If Usagi begins to learn these things, she might seal the powers of the moon away, too. Think about it: if she doesn't need to transform, then why should she bother? Demo, that's not the real problem."  
  
Rei stood up and began to pace, a worried expression etched upon her pretty face. "The REAL worry I have here is if Usagi decides to forsake her duties and go after this guy, wherever he may be. Think about it for a moment: he's bound to be out there somewhere, and if Usagi's heart tells her to go, that's what'll happen. She's really spontaneous, when you think about it- she will do almost anything to achieve her happiness."  
  
Rei turned to face them. "Therefore, I propose that we find some way to seal off Usagi's memories. It may be wrong, but we just can't afford to lose her. She just can't learn anymore of that past. Agreed?"  
  
For a moment, no one said a word, but finally Ami spoke. "Hai... there's no other choice. Rei's right." Makoto frowned begrudgingly, but finally gave in, even though she didn't look a bit happy about it.  
  
Minako looked around at he friends in shock. There was no way that they could really be suggesting this, was there? No way! And yet, they were all looking at her expectantly. Minako knew that she'd lose even if she did vote differently. She shot a quick glance at the room where Usagi was sleeping in and gave her a quick prayer. Get out of here, Usagi, if you plan to, and hurry! Then Minako consented, and they went off to research ways to seal off Usagi's memories.  
  
*********************  
  
Usagi's eyes narrowed in fury. They were doing this while she was supposedly sleeping? How dare they! Them, her sailor scouts, the people who were supposed to be her friends, were planning on taking away this new- found part of herself? Iie. I refuse to let them do it. They WON'T.  
  
A new kind of resolve was welling up from Usagi's heart, forming to her strongest wish and will. She would find this 'Heero,' if he were alive, no matter where he might be, come hell or high water. She searched her pockets and school bag for money, but she only came up with a small bit of change. Her mind instantly flashed to her piggy banks back at home. She had been saving that money since she had been a really little girl, and her mother and father had done so even before, for something special, such as high school. However, at the moment this seemed more important to Usagi than going to a good high school- although how she would get to it was another matter entirely.  
  
Usagi looked around the room, and began to devise a plan. Since she wouldn't be able to leave by the front door, she'd have to think of another way out. There was a fairly large window that faced the side yard of the temple, with a large sill. Usagi would have to punch out the screen (AN: I've punched out my screen before... it's fairly easy... what isn't easy is trying to sneak it past your parents who are working out in the front yard when your room's on the second floor... *sweat drop*) and then reinsert it. Hopefully no one would notice that the glass part was open until it was too late.  
  
Usagi instantly set about creating a human form in the bed with the pillows and covers. It wasn't the most original trick, but she was fairly sure it would work. When she was done, she tucked the covers up to the top of where the head might lie.  
  
Usagi then pulled a stool up to the window and slid the glass pane up. She poked the screen out, but when she tried to catch it and pull it back up to herself, she missed, and it dropped. Usagi cursed herself, and decided that she'd just close the glass pane, and hope that none of them were too terribly observant tonight.  
  
She took a deep breath, realizing that before she had started to remember her past life, she would have never thought of a plane like this, or had the guts to carry it out even if she had. She then swung one leg up and on the window followed by the other. Now she dangled halfway in and halfway out, on the brink to freedom. Ima Soretomo Kesshite. she thought to herself. Then she began to wedge herself forward by making odd rocking motions.  
  
Soon she had almost all her body out, and she had to crouch on the outside sill and swing her head under the window. She shut the pane and leaned against the glass. She had made her first movement of many.  
  
Looking around, she saw that no one else was out. It was night, and the crickets were chirping. Summer would be here soon, and with it a break from school. Good, maybe I won't miss too much of it. she thought. The night was warm and the breeze in her hair cool, and everything was alright. She closed her eyes, took another deep breath, and then jumped off and feel into the sweet, green, dewy grass.  
  
She got up, gave the shrine a last look, and took off down the street, running as fast as her legs could manage to carry her.  
  
****************  
  
Rei grumbled; they were thirty minutes into their search, and it was fruitless. Of course, she HAD found a way to seal pipes, so at least they wouldn't have to bear those damned plumbers fees... but it wasn't what she wanted. She growled and slammed her fist down on the table a few times, taking her frustration out on the cherry wood.  
  
Makoto raised an eyebrow in her direction and shook her head. "I'm going to check up on Usagi."  
  
"Good idea, Mako-chan," Ami said. "You go do that.  
  
Makoto got up and made her way to the room where Usagi was sleeping. She entered the darkened room. It was surprisingly quiet, considering that Usagi normally snored when she slept, but then again, she HAD passed out... so it was understandable. She frowned when her eyes crossed the window, but she shook away the funny feeling that something was amiss. That's funny, though, I thought there was a screen there before... Makoto just shrugged, closed the door quietly, and went back to rejoin the search.  
  
***************  
  
Usagi sighed happily. She was in her room, with her things. How easy it would be to just stay here... but no, she HAD to leave. She had to get out. She would not let them take a part of her away, no matter their insecurities.  
  
Usagi gathered a few things she knew she would need or want, such as a few pairs of clothes, a night shirt, her toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, a brush, a manga, a cd and her cd player, and of course, the most important part, money. She stuffed the money all over her bag, rather than keep it in one place- her father had always told her that was one of the safest things to do.  
  
Usagi stuffed these things in her duffel bag, and then dressed herself not in her school clothes but her favorites: Her azure blue shirt with the little panda on the front and a pair of jeans. For the most part, she wore skirts, but she had taken a liking to these, and it might help to throw the senshi off when they were looking for her.  
  
The next part of what she was going to do was going to be her least favorite. She went to the hall and went through a few of her mother's hair dyes, considering which one she would use. Her mother had started going gray a few years ago, and had experimented with several different colors before settling on blue. Usagi pulled out the bottle that said 'Cherry Red' on it. She was going to die her hair cherry red, and then cut it.  
  
Usagi washed her hair hurriedly, and then followed the instructions on the bottle. She then did the same with her eyebrows, figuring that there weren't too many red heads with blond eyebrows. When she was all done, she washed her hair one more time, and then blow dried it on low- however, when she found it to be going too slow, she remembered a spell she had learned in her last life, and decided to try and attempt it.  
  
"West wind of warmth,  
  
Wrap around my hair,  
  
And become the quick-drying breeze!"  
  
Usagi was amazed when through her window swooped in a strong gust of wind that made her curtains billow and her hair swirl. She closed her eyes and when she opened them, the breeze died away, going back to whence it had come from. Looking in the mirror, her hair was a bit wild, but once she had run it though with brush, it was actually very pretty.  
  
Considering that hair was light and had not had bleach, it had turned out quite nicely- a little lighter than the darker cherry formula in the bottle. She brought out a pair of scissors and cut her hair to her hips. She watched her hair fall to the floor as light red strands of spider web. She gathered them all and stuffed them in her subspace pocket and the bottle and scissors. She would get rid of the evidence elsewhere, rather than give the scouts another clue to work on. As a final touch, she braided hair, and tied it off with a red ribbon.  
  
She then grabbed her bag, and leapt out of her window to the strong limb of the tree outside it. She climbed down, then set out again down the street, heading to the bus station.  
  
**********************  
  
  
  
Rei sighed. She was weary, they all were, but they had finally found the needed spell after scanning through many books. What really worried her though was that Usagi had yet to wake up. Rei would have thought by now that she would have.... yes, she should have been awake hours ago.  
  
She frowned, and her eyes narrowed in suspicion- something was wrong.  
  
"What's the matter, Rei?" Ami questioned her angry looking friend.  
  
"Usagi should be up by now. Something's not right!" She said as she strode into the room where they had put Usagi in. She walked over to the bed, and ripped the cover off. She cursed loudly at the site before her, and everyone else ran in. They were flabbergasted by the site- Usagi had tricked them?  
  
"See!? I told you this was going to happen!!" Rei shrieked at the top of her lungs while pointing her finger at the empty bed.  
  
"How did this happen?" Makoto wondered aloud.  
  
"How do you think, Makoto!? She went through the window! It has no screen on it!!" Now Rei pointed at the window, in an almost accusing way.  
  
"Crap..." Makoto murmured. "I can't believe Usagi did this..."  
  
"We have to hurry," Luna interrupted, drawing the attention to her. "By now Usagi's already gone and stopped by her house for her things. If we want to stop her, we have to get going now."  
  
"But to where?" Minako asked, although she was secretly glad that Usagi was trying to get out.  
  
"You and Makoto will go to the train station with Artemis, and I will go with Ami and Rei to the bus station. If you see her, stop her at all costs and contact us with the communicators!" She commanded as they all rushed out the shrine. With that, the two groups split up, making all haste to opposite sides of town.  
  
*********  
  
The Mother Goddess- okay, in this story, the Mother is exactly what you might think of her as- she's the mother to all of the other Gods (kinda' like a queen bee in an odd sense) in some way or another, and is known for her beauty and easy petulance throughout legends. She's highly feminist, but is still known to love all creatures, no matter their faults, with a mother's unconditional love. Not bad for a fictional deity I created?  
  
2) In Japan, a student's weekend is just one day- Sunday. Once a month they also get half of Saturday off as well. (Least I think that's how it goes.) Anyhow, that makes me feel really lucky. ^^  
  
Well, I worked pretty hard on that, and I'm pleased with how it came out! I worked it over several times, and I'm actually kinda eager to start writing the next chapter! ^^  
  
Anyhow, next time in Chapter Four: Making my way, Usagi is making her way to get out of the city, while the scouts are looking desperately- and it'll certainly be a close one. Will they catch her? Probably not. But even if they don't, is Usagi ready to take her next big step? After all, trying to make her way through a big city all on her own could be dangerous. But wait; who's this? A friend to accompany her on her journey? And from another series entirely?!  
  
Hee hee! So there's your incentive to keep reading. I hope I made that sound okay... *scratches head* Anyhow, yeah, I'm going to add another series in! Kakakakakaa! Only it's a secret. ^.^  
  
SD Tasuki: That's because SHE doesn't even know what she's going to add in next!  
  
tnn: *gasp* Liar! I do too know!!  
  
SD Tasuki: No you don't.  
  
tnn: *whaps him over the head with his mini tessen* keep that up and I'll put YOU in! Kakakakakaka... 


	5. Chapter 4

1 Huntress  
  
By tenshi no nozomi  
  
Email: tenshi_no_nozomi@hotmail.com  
  
Author's Notes: My god, I'm on a roll! I just finished the last chapter yesterday, and I'm already going on the next one… ^^ This is cool! I'm more inspired now than I have been for months… I have answers to stuff that some of you guys have asked/begged me about in your reviews at the bottom, if you'd care to read it, by the way. ^^  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, Gundam Wing, or Ranma ½. Eventually- though probably not in this story- it will all enfold into a multi- crossover. ^^Anyhow, this story is mine, however, so don't steal, or I'll do something nasty to you. (Though I don't know why you'd bother…)  
  
Thanks to my pre-reader, Rave! :huggies: You're the best!!  
  
Okay… that wraps that up, I think… on with the show!  
  
Jap Ref  
  
Odango : dumpling  
  
Atama : head  
  
Hai : yes  
  
Demo : but  
  
Anno : uhm…, er…  
  
Daijobu desu ka? : Are you all right?  
  
Shi ne : die  
  
Kitsune : fox  
  
*****  
  
Chapter Four: On My Way  
  
Usagi frowned slightly as she waited as patiently in line as she could for a bus ticket. It was last minute, and it would probably cost more money than she would have wanted to spend, but there was nothing that she could have done about that. After all, she hadn't known a week ago that she was going to be running away… it had been a last minute decision.  
  
So here she was, at this crowded station, waiting in line in all the noise. Even though it was night time and every where else the city was sleeping, the train station was still busy- go figure; that was just her luck. She shifted on her legs, attempting to make the blood in her legs flow again. Her mind was wandering, and she was bored and nervous. There had never been a worse combination.  
  
Usagi continued to wait, wondering how the scouts were going to react to her disappearing act. Of course they would be angry and be hunting for her, but her real question was if they would think of her as clever. Usagi's secret wish had always been for them to accept her and to complement her on something besides her ability to eat and make friends- perhaps even though they wouldn't approve of her use of her newfound guile, they would still find it useful.  
  
The woman in front of her was done purchasing her ticket, and now it was Usagi's turn. Looking at her options, she quickly chose a random one off the list, paid for it, and then waited in line to board the bus. The bus would make several stops in between Juuban and her destination, but that wouldn't matter too much to her.  
  
Her plan was to lay low for a few days in a neighboring district, and then come back to Juuban to ask the outer senshi for help. Surely they wouldn't deny her help?  
  
About that time, Usagi saw them: Ami and Rei, making their way through the busy bus station, looking desperately for her. Usagi turned her face away from them and stared ahead of her. Her heart was pounding as her muscles tensed, readying for a quick escape if it came down to that. Usagi was shocked to find that in truth, she was enjoying the rush of adrenaline the situation was giving her.  
  
Could it be that maybe they're right? Maybe these memories are changing me more than I thought… maybe I should go back with them…  
  
Before she could really change her mind, though, the line began to move, and Usagi handed over her ticket and got on the bus. She took her seat, hugging her backpack to herself. She smiled weakly with relief when the bus pulled out, and made its way to the next district.  
  
*********************************************  
  
Ryoga had to admit it: he was lost- again. Why was it that things like this always happened to him? It was all Saotome's fault… How was it that Ranma had managed to win Akane's heart? What did Ranma Saotome possess that he didn't?  
  
Rejection was a horrible feeling. First it ate you alive, mercilessly like some horrible rabid beast. Then it left you feeling as though you'd skinned your pride, as though it were some kind of bruise or raw spot on the skin that wasn't healing.  
  
And his life seemed to be taking even odder turns, what with the odd dreams he'd been having. They were odd, and left him with a feeling of uneasiness, like a bitter after taste a person might get from one of those carbonated drinks. Most of the dreams were of a feeling of horrible anger and bitterness, an insatiable thirst for vengeance that even went beyond what he felt for Saotome.  
  
And they all consisted around the thoughts and desires of killing one girl… a young girl, with blonde hair and blue eyes, with an unmistakable hair style.  
  
But back to the present situation… he was lost, probably somewhere in Tokyo, though where, he didn't know. He'd been sitting on this bench for the longest time, thinking it all over. He knew that if he got up and started walking, he'd probably get himself even more lost than he already was.  
  
He sat there and watched as a bus pulled up to the stop, and a few passengers got off. The one that interested him in particular was the one with the reddish hair… The girl gave him an odd feeling, as though he ought to recognize her. When she turned around, and he saw her eyes, he involuntarily stood up and gasped- it was her! The one that he had searched so hard for! Usagi… the huntress responsible for his father's death.  
  
**************************************  
  
Usagi had gotten off of the bus at her designated stop and watched the bus go and the other passengers that had exited with her disperse. So she was left alone… or at least almost. There was that guy on the bench.  
  
Where had she seen him before? She knew she had seen him somewhere… she just couldn't quite place where. Where… where had she seen this boy? What was his name?  
  
And as he popped up in and assumed a fighting position, it came to her: it was Hiiro's older brother! How could she have forgotten? His name was Ryoga… or at least it had been.  
  
"Ryoga?" she tried tentatively. He tensed up further, and Usagi knew that it had to be him. "It really is you! Then this must mean… that everyone else has been reborn, too! That I'm not alone!"  
  
When he didn't ease up and share her delight, Usagi became nervous. "Ryoga- san… daijobu desu ka?"  
  
His eyes were narrowed. "Shi ne…" That was odd, and out of character for himself. Even if they had been enemies in the past, that didn't mean that they were anymore. Yet, he still felt a distant rage inside him.  
  
Usagi's eyes widened. He still held that grudge? That was bad… very bad indeed. She had to make peace fast. "Ryoga-san, gomen nasai! I'm sorry for what I did then, demo I can't change it now! Please forgive me. I don't mean any harm." She held her hands up in front of her palms out as a sign on peace.  
  
He relaxed a bit, and Usagi went on. " It's.. uhm… good to see you… what are you doing here at this time of night, anyway?"  
  
"I could ask you the same question." He stated coldly. This has to stop… she may have been my enemy then, but she seems sincere. Even Saotome wouldn't stoop so low as to frighten a girl.  
  
"Anno… I'm kind of running away. But not for what you might think," she added quickly. "It's because… I because I need to find Hiiro."  
  
"You mean my otouto?" How had this girl come to know his younger brother? Unless, of course, at some point in his brother's life after he'd died he'd gone seeking revenge himself…  
  
"Hai. Is he still your otouto?"  
  
He looked at her very closely before answering. "No, he's not my otouto anymore. I don't know where he is."  
  
Usagi looked disappointed, but didn't say anything about it. Instead, she switched back to her previous question. "You still haven't answered my question. Will you answer it or not?"  
  
Ryoga sighed. "I'm… lost." he admitted.  
  
"Lost?" She echoed. Funny, he had a perfectly fine sense of direction in his last life time… perhaps it was punishment of a sort for dying a pointless death?"  
  
"Yes. And it's all Saotome's fault!" he growled with sudden anger as his fists clenched.  
  
"Who?" Usagi looked genuinely curious and puzzled.  
  
"Ranma Saotome of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts. (AN: I forgot what it's really called… I'll make sure to check up on it soon.) He's responsible for all the pain and suffering I've been through in my life… And how is it that Akane could possibly love that… that…" He seemed unable to find a proper word for his rival.  
  
"Hmm… so this Saotome guy… he's your rival, ne?" Usagi was getting an idea.  
  
Ryoga came out of his thoughts fast and frowned as he looked her over. He could practically see the gears in her head turning in those impossibly blue eyes of hers, and her flaming red hair was coming loose in her braid. She looked cute in her chosen apparel, and he blushed at those thoughts- he wouldn't think those kind of thoughts; even if Akane didn't love him, he'd remain faithful to her.  
  
"Funny… you don't look much like much like a rabbit… more like a kitsune if you ask me!"  
  
Her eyes widened. "Heeeeyyy, that's mean, ya know? And as for my hair color and style, I changed it just a couple of hours ago." Unconciously she began to fiddle around with her braid, looking a bit irate and thoughtful.  
  
"Why'd you do that?" he asked curiously.  
  
"Because there aren't that many dumpling headed blondes running around in Tokyo, ne?" she grinned at him and winked, causing him to blush again. She regained a bit of seriousness in her attitude. "You see, some friends of mine who think they know what's best for me are probably out roaming the streets of Tokyo for a blonde haired, blue eyed, dumpling head girl- they have no reason to suspect and innocent red headed one."  
  
"I see…"  
  
"Anyhow, so this Saotome guy… he stole your girl?"  
  
"Well, uhm, no, not exactly… I mean, she wasn't really mine to begin with, demo… I love her, and he's a… a blood thirsty fiend!"  
  
Usagi frowned a bit, but her eyes were completely sympathetic. "Oh, come on, Ryoga… surely you're just over exaggerating. I truly doubt that this 'Akane' girl would fall in love with a demon."  
  
Ryoga snorted. "You don't know Saotome. Wherever he is, bad luck's sure to follow. And because of him, I've seen hell!"  
  
"Oh really? What's it look like?" she joked, hoping to get a smile out of him. Instead she received a glare, which she sighed in response to. "Alright. Listen… If you're so serious about this girl, then why don't you just pound this Saotome guy's butt into the ground?"  
  
Ryoga blushed and looked down at his feet. "Because… because I can't. He's stronger than I am."  
  
A moment of silence ensued, and Usagi came up with an idea. "All right. How about if I beat him for you?"  
  
Ryoga laughed. "Saotome doesn't fight with girls. Doesn't want to hurt em."  
  
Usagi frowned. "That's not right. Some of the strongest people I've had the luck to meet are female… and I'm not weakling either, if I may say so. I may have gotten a bit rusty in this new form, demo I'm still a Huntress."  
  
"Maybe. But Saotome's a true prodigy. And he's been taught by his father not to fight girls. Even though Saotome may loathe his father, he still wouldn't disobey his father on that record. He will never fight a girl."  
  
Another moment of silence. "And what if… he didn't know I was a girl?"  
  
"Kinda hard to get around that, you know… besides, he's got a pretty keen third sense; he'd know it if you were hiding something. Disguising yourself wouldn't work."  
  
Usagi smirked, her eyes a bit distant. "Oh… I have a different idea for disguising myself… I could beat him, and he'd never know I was a girl until I told him, no matter what kind of a third sense he has. Or, I could help you to beat him and satisfy your pride better."  
  
"You'd do that for me?"  
  
Usagi smiled, but her eyes held a secretive and clever glitter. "Of course, Ryoga-kun… you don't mind if I call you that, right?"  
  
Ryoga blushed and managed to say, "What's the catch, kitsune?"  
  
Usagi scowled. "My name's not kitsune- you may call me Usagi or Usagi-chan, but NOT kitsune. As for the price… in return for my helping you, I expect you to accompany me on my voyage to find your old otouto."  
  
"What!? And just WHY would I want to do this for you?"  
  
"Hey, hey! You're getting something out of it, too, ya know. I get some companionship on the way in this big city while I'm all alone and defenseless-" he snorted, and she scowled before continuing, "and in return I'll help you defeat your long time rival and win over the girl that you love."  
  
"How will I know that you'll keep you word to me after this is all over," he said suspiciously.  
  
She smiled genuinely, and offered her hand to him. "There are many things that I am and that I am not, and one of the things I will never be is a liar. I will keep my promise to you, Ryoga. I swear it. Do we have a deal?"  
  
Hesitantly, he shook her hand while saying, " I feel like I just sold my soul to Satan…" This got a good laugh out of her in return.  
  
"What do you want with Hiiro, anyway?" he asked in curiosity after a few moments of comfortable silence..  
  
"I- I wanted to talk to him. Apoligize for what I did in the last life. And… uhm… there's other stuff, but that's kinda personal." Usagi's face flushed momentarily, and then a smile bloomed. "Let's get going, okay? We'll stay at a hotel tonight!"  
  
Usagi began to march happily down the sidewalk, when she noticed something- Ryoga wasn't following. She turned around, and saw Ryoga headed in the other way. "Ryoga-kun, where on earth are you going?"  
  
Ryoga stopped and looked all around him. "Usagi-san? Where are you? I can hear you, but I can't see you!"  
  
Usagi sweat dropped and marched over to him. She grabbed him by his shoulders and turned him the other way around. "This way, silly…" She shook her head, and smiled slightly, and started off again.  
  
This time Usagi heard a series of honks and screeches of tires. Usagi turned around and saw Ryoga trying to walk across the street. "Ryoga!! You baka! Where on earth do you think you're going!?" she cried as she dashed out into the street and brought him back with her. Usagi stared bug eyed at the four-car pile up he'd just caused. "Perhaps I should hold your hand when we walk…" she said slowly.  
  
Ryoga blushed. "Like I said, I just have a bad sense of direction…" he mumbled.  
  
Usagi smiled sympathetically. "No kidding!" she joked. A sudden idea came to mind. "Ryoga, I want you to stand right here and to move until I get back, alright? There's something I need to get that will help us with your… anno… handicap."  
  
Ryoga did as he was told as he watched the girl speed off in a direction. Ryoga resisted the urge to try to go back and sit down on the nearby bench, having the feeling that he'd get lost and would end up anywhere besides where he wanted to be.  
  
Five minutes passed, and Usagi still had yet to return. Ryoga was beginning to wonder if maybe the girl had decided not to take him with her after all when he felt something sliding around his neck. "What…?"  
  
"It's a dog collar and a leash!" Usagi stated, a bit proudly too. "This way, you won't get turned around, and I won't have to keep checking to make sure you're following me- the leash will do that for me."  
  
Ryoga opened his mouth to protest, but his argument was quickly cut off by a hard yank on the leash. He found himself following her obediently, and scowled at her back.  
  
Almost as though she could feel his angry scowl directed at him, she turned around a giggled. She gave him a wink and a grin before saying, "Good doggy! Now if only daddy would let me keep a pet like you…" Usagi laughed again in satisfaction when Ryoga blushed again.  
  
A boom of thunder lit up the night sky. "Sheesh… looks like it's going to rain soon…"  
  
Ryoga felt a sudden surge of… perhaps fear. He didn't want to have to try to explain his curse to Usagi yet… and if it started to rain on them, there'd be no other choice. "Let's hurry, please?" he asked, knowing that there was urgency in his voice.  
  
Usagi turned her head around and raised an eyebrow. "Afraid of a little rain, Ryoga-kun? Well, not to worry, the hotel's not far away at all, and I don't like storms so much myself, so we'll most likely beat the storm there if we hurry." And onward they went.  
  
*****************************  
  
The scouts met up again at Rei's shrine just as the sun began to peek over the horizon. Rei was too tired to bother cursing Usagi at the moment, and the rest of the sailors looked even more beat than she.  
  
"I can't believe we managed to lose her!" Makoto complained. "I mean, since when does Usagi go and pull stunts like these? She'd be the last person I'd have ever listed."  
  
"No kidding." Rei growled out. "Where on the earth does that odagoe atama get the nerve to do something like this?"  
  
"From her former self, of course," came a voice from behind them all. They all jumped and turned around quickly, assuming fighting positions- to be greeted with the site of… Setsuna.  
  
"What are you doing here, Setsuna?" Rei spat out. She had never been fond of any of the outer senshi like Usagi had, and Setsuna was, in her opinion, the worst of the lot of them.  
  
"I'm here to explain what's gotten into our hime."  
  
"Please, do." Ami said politely.  
  
Setsuna nodded. "You see, the Time Stream was originally set up by the Fates as a way to try to keep the destinies of mortals in control. However, they are some 'wild cards' in the system that no one can do anything about. One of these is the spirits of the past- parts of a human's soul that are normally sealed off to a reincarnated form, containing the memories of a past life."  
  
"Wait a minute," Makoto cried, "do you mean to tell us that these dreams Usagi keeps having really are from a previous life?"  
  
Setsuna nodded her affirmative. "Yes, and these spirits from that point in time have all woken up in synch. Everyone that is a 'key player' in the new game that's setting up to begin is waking up. Soon, they will be ready to do whatever it is that they've been called to do."  
  
"So you mean that they're being called? I thought you said they were waking up on their own accord," Ami mused. " Who on earth could be waking them up?"  
  
"They are waking up from sudden feelings of dissatisfaction- some threat from the past that they had thought they had won against must be preparing to make a new front. I don't know who is waking them up, only that they are- and that because of it, the whole Time Stream is in chaos because of it. I can't see any possible futures any longer, because key players from other destinies have been altered by the rising memories of the past, thoroughly changing things so that nothing will ever be the same."  
  
Nobody spoke for a moment. Finally, Rei broke the silence. "So why don't we just put a mass spell on them to contain their memories? Then things would go back to normal."  
  
Setsuna sighed. "No. No, even if you were to do that, there would be lasting changes; it's already too late. Not to mention that the angry, dissatisfied spirits can never be chained for very long. It would be a mistake, and if what I think is going to happen should come to be… If we were to do that, we would be killing ourselves. They have to learn what they need to know, for whatever reason, before it's too late."  
  
A bad feeling settled over them, a dark foreboding omen of what might come. They sat in silence as the allowed themselves to absorb it all in.  
  
Finally, Setsuna finished what she had to say. "Don't worry about hime, she will be just fine. She has already found and joined up with the company of another soul involved in this, someone who can protect her if she should need it and is not able to do so for herself. In a few days, when she feels that she is ready and has learned enough to make her next move, she will go to the other outer senshi for help.  
  
"HOWEVER," Setsuna continued, her voice reaching a note of seriousness, "you are not to interfere. If you do go and try to stop her, there will be grave consequences. She must do as she sees fit, and then I believe she will return… though it may only be for a brief time."  
  
Rei opened her mouth to argue, but Minako stepped in. "Fine, we won't interfere with whatever it is that Usagi has to do. However, how are we supposed to explain to her parents that she's going to be gone for an undetermined point of time?" All of the inners stared at Minako; who had ever known that the girl had a single bone in her body for being a proper leader?  
  
"It's already handled," Setsuna said with a slight smile. "I've managed to implant the idea in her family's minds that she is going on a relatively short trip for an 'extracurricular learning opportunity' a little while after Usagi ran away. I did the same for her teachers and administrators shortly after school let out today, so there should be no problems in any of those areas."  
  
Setsuna gave a small smile that didn't quite reach her maroon eyes. "With that, I bid you a good night, fellow senshi." And with those words from her mouth, she promptly faded into the shadows and disappeared.  
  
Rei snorted. "Like hell we're going to stay away! I say we start watching Haruka's mansion!" (1)  
  
"No."  
  
Everyone turned to look at Minako. "What?"  
  
"I said, 'no.' Please understand that when I told her that we won't interfere with Usagi that I meant every word that I said. Setsuna may be the senshi of time, but I'm the senshi of love, and I can feel that very soon Usagi will have some new love interests coming her way… and after her horrible relationship with Mamoru, I want the best for her." Minako gave a wink before continuing.  
  
"In Usagi's absence, I will be taking over as leader since I've been a Sailor Scout the longest." She paused a moment, then said, "I'm going home, now. I'm more than a little worn out- it's been a long day."  
  
With that, she began to walk home. After a moment of gaping, Artemis caught up with his charge; he was proud of her. Perhaps both blondes had an over looked amount of courage when it was needed.  
  
Shortly afterwards, the rest of them dispersed, heading away to their own homes, leaving Rei to stare up the stars and moon. Everything's crumbling around us… and there's really nothing that anyone can do about it, even if they wanted to. She shook her head, before going inside.  
  
***************************************  
  
I forget which outer senshi it is that's supposed to be rich. I'm taking a risk and guessing that it's Haruka. If it isn't, please correct me, somebody.  
  
Here's some info on Ryoga, for those of you who have never seen Ranma ½: Ryoga is one of the many rivals to Ranma Saotome, for two reasons. Number one, because he challenged Ranma to a duel when they were little boys, and when he got there- really late, I think it was three days late- he wasn't there. Number two, Ranma's engaged to Akane Tendo, the girl he loves.  
  
Whenever Ryoga is splashed with cold water, he turns into a pig, because he fell into spring of drowned pig- which he blames on Ranma also. There's a lot more to this story, but I don't have the time to elaborate on it- if you want to know more about it, please email me at tenshi_no_nozomi@hotmail.com, and I'd be glad to tell you more or whatever. ^^  
  
As for why I chose Minako to do that little scene at the end, well, I happen to like her the best out of the other inners (besides Makoto, who's pretty cool herself.) I don't think a lot of people give her enough credit for the fact that she's been fighting the Negaverse longer than the rest have been, and that she's not a complete ditz (although she's close). Anyhow, Usa's still my fave character.  
  
All finished! And in the nick of time… my mum's nagging me because I don't have a lot of to get my homework done before I go to 'confirmation class'. How I hate Wednesdays… Anyway… I know that there were no memory scenes in this one, but the next couple chapters are going to be FILLED with them- especially the next one. The most it will have that will be outside of Usagi's past will be two paragraphs or so. ^^  
  
Review, review, review, please!! Reviews make me update faster. Or at least they do for the most part.  
  
Okay! Shout out thingie merbobbers! ^^;  
  
Serena Yuy: Hmm… well, that was my original intent to pair the two of them up. And even if I do decide that I don't want to, I'll probably write alternate endings to it so that whoever wants Usa to be paired up with such and such will get their wish. Okay? ^^  
  
%% : Uhm… actually, no, they're not evil. They're just concerned for Usagi and their future. At least that's the way I see it in my mind.  
  
Nodachi-chan : ^^ ::giggles:: Glad you like the story so far! ^^ It should get better. I don't know where the idea came from, actually… somewhere in my black-hole for a brain, I'm sure. It's been such a long time since I originally started it that I can't say. As for romance… ::wink:: there should be at least some chaste romance in this one. And in the sequel, there'll be even more. (Yes, I already have the sequel ready to go in my mind.. ::sweatdrops::)  
  
As for everyone else who reviewed in the past, uhm, I don't have enough time to talk to you all. But if you review to me with questions/ begging, I promise to answer them. And if I forget to, you have the permission to hit me over the head with a giant mallet! 


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